Sweet And Sour Pork | A is for Apple

This recipe is from the Pork and Pineapple episode of A is for Apple with Leah Wildman.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Pork:

• 1 large egg, beaten
• ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (83 ml) pineapple juice
• 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 ml) salt
• 1 whole pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
• Flour (for dusting)
• 2 cups (500 ml) peanut oil (for frying)

Sweet and sour sauce:

• 1 cup (250 ml) pineapple juice
• ¼ cup (60 ml) brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste
• 1.5 tablespoons (22.5 ml) corn starch
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) molasses

For stir fry:

• 1 small onion
• 1 red pepper
• ½ green pepper
• 1 ½ cups (375 ml) fresh pineapple
• 3 green onion (for garnish)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame seeds (for garnish)

Directions

1. To make the coating for the pork combine the egg, flour, pineapple juice and salt in a bowl. Whisk to blend.  Set aside.
2. Slice pork into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes. Lightly dust with flour.
3. Pour peanut oil into a wok and heat oil to 350°F (176°C).
4. Toss the pork in batter. Shake off excess batter from the pork and slide into oil. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
5. Cook until golden brown and meat is just cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve.
6. To make the sweet and sour sauce, in a medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, corn starch and molasses. Whisk to blend.
7. Dice the onion medium 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks.  Remove the seeds and veins from the peppers and dice into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Cut the pineapple into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks as well.
8. Slice the green onion thin on a bias for garnish.
9. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add onions, peppers and pineapple cubes, stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add the sweet and sour sauce.  Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pork and stir-fry until meat is heated through.
10. To serve place on a platter and garnish with the sliced green onion and sesame seeds.